Have pedestrians forbidden to be distracted by gadgets at the crossings?

"The new edition of the rules of the road will forbid pedestrians to be distracted by gadgets while crossing the road," BelTA agency quotes the senior inspector on special assignments of the UGAI of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Alexander Shevchenko. It's about using smartphones and listening to music on headphones. However, it is not yet known how they will be punished for this violation and when the new rules will take effect.

Recall that a public discussion of the draft amendments to the decree on measures to improve road safety was held in May. Now the document is being agreed with government agencies.

The issue of headphones at pedestrian crossings and railway crossings has been raised for a long time. Regularly, in the accident report, people were injured or died because they did not hear the sound of an approaching car or even a train! For example, back in 2015, in an interview with Komsomolka, the head of the Minsk State Automobile Inspection Dmitry Korzyuk said :

"Our main request: when approaching the transition, you need to make sure that it is impossible to cross this intersection with headphones in your ears. I don't like this either, as well as the fact that many cross the road without looking up from the phone screen. But if today we ban headphones, then tomorrow it will be necessary to remove hats and hoods - everything that interferes with the review. A pedestrian is simply obliged to be careful and make sure of his safety before crossing the road. We are all responsible for our lives."

What else do you want to change in the new traffic rules?

They want to introduce the concept of "personal mobility tool." This will include electric scooters, monowheels, gyro scooters, which accelerate no more than 25 km / h. Their "drivers" will be equated with pedestrians. They want to equate powerful electric scooters (over 0.25 kW) with mopeds with all the ensuing consequences: obtaining a driver's license, passing a vehicle inspection and insurance.

Cyclists will have to dismount only when crossing an unregulated pedestrian crossing. In other cases, you can ride without getting off your bike, but not faster than the speed of a walking pedestrian. They want to prescribe a green path for cyclists in the rules and also oblige cyclists and mopeds to wear a reflective vest with reflective tape in the dark.

They will introduce the so-called "rule of two lanes": they promise to indicate at what time and in what place the driver must stop to let the pedestrian pass. Now the situation with the so-called "pedestrian access" is interpreted differently, leading to conflicts between drivers and inspectors.

The procedure for passing exams at the traffic police will change - it will be possible to take it by car with a gun. In this case, they will put the appropriate mark in the rights - it will be possible to ride only on the machine. They also intend to introduce a point system of fines: it will work in addition to the existing fines. For different violations, a different number of points will be awarded. If you accumulate 15 points per year, the driver will be taken away for six months.

The reflective spray gives almost zero effect

The days are getting shorter. The darkness lasts for a long time in the morning and comes quickly in the evening.

Then it's time to dig out the reflectors from drawers and cabinets or take a walk in the store to buy new ones. But which reflexes should you choose?

NAF has directed the searchlight, or rather, the car headlights towards six reflective vests, various small reflexes, knitting products of reflective yarn, reflective umbrella and reflective spray.

The reflex products in the test cost from NOK 15 to 800 and most of them are sold in regular chain stores. NAF has even been around Oslo and bought the products.

Provides false security

The test shows that the non-traditional products consistently do poorly, and the big loser of the test must be said to be the reflex spray.

All products were tested with 50- and 100-meter dipped beams and high beams, and the reflective spray was not visible in any of the lightings.

Do not use a reflective spray to see. The use of such spray gives false security, says Stig Schibbye, owner of Reflexconsult AS, who is referred to as Norway's foremost reflex expert.

Reflex consultants have measured reflective spray against a standard reflective vest with a minimum visibility of 250 meters and found that the spray lit only 17 meters through the dark.

This means that the reflective spray gives a seven percent effect of the minimum requirement.

Reassessing reflex spray

It was Albedo Reflective Spray from Clas Ohlson that was tested by NAF. This is a colorless spray that should reflect light in the dark, according to the product review.

Camilla Tully, the communications advisor in Clas Ohlson, says that the reflex spray is a recognized product that is being sold in several places in Norway, but that the store chain is now more skeptical about the product.

"The Reflection Spray is a new product at Clas Ohlson and based on the tests from NAF, we will take an internal review of the product and product information," Tully told Dinside.

Three reflex standards

NAF's test panel is generally skeptical of "fashion products", that is, non-reflective vests, tags or ties.

The traditional reflex products must be CE marked, which does not have to be the fashion reflectors. Therefore, it is difficult for you to know if the reflex has any effect.

If the reflector you buy is CE marked, it must be marked on the packaging, which indicates that the reflex complies with the personal protective equipment directive.

Schibbye from Reflex Consult has represented Norway in European collaboration on the preparation of reflex standards for the past 15 years.

"There is one standard for small products, such as reflective bands, tags and the like, and two standards for reflective vests. The vests are distinguished between those who appear medium and those who are very visible," says Schibbye.

Reflective vests are measured by reflective strips and the proportion of fluorescent material in the fabric. The total will be a combination of these two factors.

The vest wins

All six reflective vests that NAF tested did well, both with different light and distance.

The XXL reflective vest came out best from the vest, the only thing that pulled down was that it was a little hard to get on.

Most reflective vests in the test are relatively cheap, but the LED vest from Apotek 1 stands out with a price of NOK 299. However, this does not have to mean that this vest is better than the others in the test.

NAF points out that the LED vest had poor reflectivity, including at 100-meter dipped beam. The vest had the only reflex in the seams and the LED lights that flash only have battery power.

If you are going out in the autumn darkness, a good reflective vest is a safe choice, as it has a large surface.

"It is important to note that the reflex effect becomes significantly worse after the vest has been washed a dozen times, so a worn reflective vest should be replaced with a new one," says Ann-Kathrin Årøen in Safe Traffic.

Location is important

Several of the reflex products NAF tested had a poor effect because they were placed incorrectly.

So-called snap bands seem best if they are fastened around the ankles, as they can easily be covered by a bag or similar when on the arms.

"Dangling reflexes have the best effect as they move as you walk. Slapwraps and sticker reflexes also work well," says Åroen.

Schibbye in Reflex Consult says that the further down the body the reflex is placed, the better.

Various products that were knitted with reflex yarn were also placed under the magnifying glass, both homemade and factory-produced.

The headband knitted with Viking yarn suffered badly in the test because it was placed too high on the body. NAF's test panel recommends knitting mittens or heart rate warmer with the yarn since the yarn itself had good reflectivity.

"The yarn has only a thin reflective strip that will have varying visibility according to how the product is knitted. Large parts of the reflex can end up not appearing," says Schibbye.

Morild changes design

The scarf with reflective threads from Morild is the most expensive product of the test but by far the best. Since it is only a reflex at the bottom of the scarf, you must constantly make sure it seems.

After the test, Morild Norway AS has changed the design of the scarf, but it is clear that the garment is not intended as a replacement for ordinary reflexes.

"We do not produce and sell security products, nor any sense of security, neither real nor false. What we do, on the other hand, is fashion clothing with a bonus effect," says Lisa.

Positive to umbrella

However, not all fashion products are slaughtered in the test.

The trading network from Tanum and the umbrella from Clas Ohlson gave NAF a positive surprise. The products have a large reflective surface, and they have a function besides being a reflex, which gives you more value for money.

"Because so many do not use ordinary reflectors, our buyers try to use reflective materials as a design element in more products than before," says Tully in Clas Ohlson.

She is clear that there is a difference between CE and EU approved reflectors and products with reflective parts, and that the latter is an addition to traditional reflectors.

Adults leave the reflex at home

Early in the autumn, it is often not so dark in the morning, and many leave the house without reflection and forget that it is dark in the afternoon when they return home.

Observational surveys we conducted show that adults are poor at using reflex, only four out of ten do, says Årøen in Safe Traffic.

In general, Norwegians are reluctant to use reflex. The worst is in Oslo, where only 27 percent use reflex.

Safe traffic recommends looking for reflectors from drawers and cabinets, most of them have plenty of reflections lying at home, and attaching them to clothes, bags, and bags so that they are always there.